Tent



March 26, 1935.

o. vALAsEK 1,995,489

TENT

Filed Feb. 17, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 March 26, 1935. o. VALASEK 1,995,489

TENT

Filed Feb. 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 26, 1935 i UNITED l sfr-Ars of an improved tent structure which is featured t by novel and extreme simplicity of assembly, and

which, is at the same time durable,y rigid, and

highly eicient use. Another object is toprovide an improved" tent structure which has the advantageof being extremely economical to man.- ufacture. Y'

The ordinary tent structureinvolves center poles, ropes, stakes, and other paraphernalia which make the assembly and disassembly complicated and time consuming. The. present invention embodies numerous features of novelty and is designed to` provide "a Ystructure of the character above described which is poleless, ropeless, and stakeless. A tent made according to my invention is easily portable and capable of .use indoors and outdoors, being.V particularly adapted to be setup, for example, in a room in a house where attachment to the floor is not permitted. By means of my invention a cloth covering may be provided with pockets, f or example, with postsl orl ribs inserted in the pockets.

Bv locking means, one form. 0f. which has been selected to illustrate my invention, which is to be hereinafter described, a tent may be assembled in position by merely giving a few turns to a screw to tighten the same. B y means of other concrete Vexemplications, other simple means are provided for accomplishing the results .hereinbefore indicated.

Another feature of my invention is that the ribs or posts need never be removed from the pockets of the fabric, and the frame andiabric may be in a simple manner collapsed into aconvenient portable package.

Other objects and advantages will appear here.-

inafter. e n

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a Ypart oi this specification, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a preferred form of my invention, partly broken away to illustrate one of the supporting posts and the pocket 'therefor; 1

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of the upper portion ofthe structure shown in lilig. 1;

the Structure Shown in Fig. 2:5 t s Fig. 4 is a planview oi the supporting plate; Fig. 5 is a perspective View illustrating Vthe means for attaching the tent .covering to the stationary pests hereinafter described;

vthe pockets. Fig. 3 is a plan View, partly broken away, of

Fig, 6 is avertical sectional view of` a modified y form of my invention;

Fig.` 7 is a bottom plan'zviewof the strlll'fure shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 "is a vertical sectional view of v'another modiedform of my invention; t Fig .r9 is an elevational View ot part of, the structureshownin Fig. 8, showing the means toress'emblingjnd attachingv the stationary posts;

,Figf lO'is a bottom planview of the. structure shown in Fig. 9; y Fig. ll is a verticalsectional view ofawother modiiied form of invention; Y Fie. 1 2 is an elevatonalvew of a part Qt the form Shownn Fie- .115 Y e Fie. 13 is a bottom bien viewrof the form Shown in Fig. 1.25l and Fig., 1 4 is a vertical sectional View ofanother modified form of my. invention.

As illustrated in the drawings, the preferred form 0i my invention ShowngirliFeS: 1.,' 24. 3, l and 5 includes a covering 18 f or'the tent, which may be of canvas orany other suitable material, provided with pockets 1,9, Ot Whitt in the Pref ferred form there are six to form a tent having six sides 20, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The tent covering maybe manufactured by vcut-l ting out portions of material eachsunicient to malte upone side of the tent anda pocket. One

of these portions Vmay be laid against another of these portions to register with it in such a manner that the right side of the superimposed portion, for example, contacts the right side of the other portion. In Vother words, when the -two portions are laid` with their outside or right faces againstl each other the wrong side, for example, of

the top portion will be uppermost, and the wrong side of the under portion will be on the bottom., With the two portions in this relation the portions at one end,A inthe superimposed condition described, rnay bestitched in two rows so as to forni a pocket. When this has been done and the top Each pocket is closed-by a when posts hereinafter described are inserted in Also provided is a locking plate ,21 having apertures :2:2 and elongated recess. slots 23. There are ,six of each of these, as is'apparent irom Fig 4.

Adapted to be extended through the apertures 22are a-plurality of posts 2e. Each post 24 is provided with an` `If-shaped 'extension 25, and

'portion is pulled away from the bottom portion the two right sides will be exposed and the por' tions'will be attached to each other in the manner-shown in'Fig. 5. hem at the bottom to hold the covering in place tending leg 26 extends into an elongated recess' slot 23. The position of the posts 24 in their natural condition is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be evident that after the posts 24 have been inserted in the apertures 22 they are then to be inserted in the pockets 19. Also provided is an aperture 27 in the locking plate 21, and

adapted to be inserted in this aperture is a bolt 28 having a shoulder 29. The bolt 28 also has a threaded shank 30, and has threadedthereon a Y lock nut 31. Also provided isl a clamping plate 32 centrally apertured as at 33. Y ment is such that the bolt 28 is extended through the aperture 33 in the clamping plate .32, and a` Wing nut 34 threaded on said bolt is adapted tobe manipulated to move the clamping plate 32 downwardly against'the L-shaped extensions l25-until the same` are iiat upon the upper surface of the locking plate 21.v Inthisposition'the posts 24 will be swung .outwardlyfrom their ormer position, illustrated in dotted linesfin Fig. 2, Vtothe position yshown in full linesrin.Fig'.2, andalso. in this position the downwardly extending leg 26 will have'been moved downwardly into the` elongated recess slot 23.

It will .be apparentfrom the above description that theposts 24 arearranged in position with respect to the lockingr plate 21 with each post extending through one of'itheapertures 22. Each of the posts is inserted into one of the pockets 19 and then the clamping plate 32 4is placed upon the bolt 28'a'nd the wing nut is manipulated to force the clamping plate 32 against the L-shaped extensions 25 to force the posts 24 and the covering 18 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1. In the form shown in Fig. 4 elongated recess slotshave been used, but in another form of my invention I utilize circular apertures.. The elongated slots have the advantage of limiting ork shown in the rst formiused to illustrate my invention. Adjacent the upper extremity of each post 37,as shown in Fig. 6, each post is provided vwith a shoulder 38 formed bymaking a U-'shaped bend in the post, and each post is also provided with an upward extension 39. The lower face of the cone-shaped locking membery35 is provided with a series of grooves 40. The arrange- .ment is such that after the posts have beenproperly inserted into the pockets of the tent vcover- .ing each of the upward extensions 39 Vis inserted into a bore 36, and each shoulder portion 38 is vmoved, into one ofthe grooves40. It will be manifest that when properly arranged the posts: will be locked in the position shownin Fig. 6 with each Aof the shoulders restingin one of the The arrange- 6. By this arrangement the inclined bore cooperates with the upward extension 39 of each post to cause the outward projection of the post, and the grooves of the member 35 cooperate with the shoulders of the posts to lock the same against lateral movement.

In the form used to illustrate my invention shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 1G, a hollow cone member l41 is provided with outwardly projecting pockets 42 `which may be attached tothe cone member by `Yelectric welding or otherwise, or which may be made integral therewith, as by crimping or molding, or otherwise. In the form --shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10 each of the pockets is slightly larger at its downward end than at its' upper end, and also in the form shown inV Figs. 8, 9, and-10a V-shaped slit 43 is incorporated. *In this form of the invention simple cylindrical posts 44 are employed, and after being inserted in the pockets of the tent covering the upward extremities of the posts which may be tapered are adapted to be nsertedin the outwardly projectingpockets 42 or" the cone-shaped member,v in an obvious manner,`and to *beVV held h firmly andrigidly therein. The slit functions to provideJ resiliency for the structure.

In the form shownin Figs.`11, 12, and 13 a `cone-shaped member'45 has provided in its outer conical vsurface a series of Y semi-cylindrical grooves46. vThe posts .47 used inV this form of my invention are Vthe same as the posts used in the form shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. In the form lshown in Figs.l 11, l2, and 13, a ringed clamping member 48, substantially conformed to the outer conical surface of the cone member l 45, isV provided, and the diameter of this member is somewhat larger than the diameter of the conical member 45 so as to allow the posts to be inserted in the grooves 46 and to allow the clamping member 48 to be moved ldownwardly uponthe conical member 45 and the posts when the posts are in the grooves to clamp the same.

From theforegoing itwill be manifest that theposts are inserted into the pockets of the tentrcovering', and then the upper extremities of i the posts Vare located in the grooves and the clamping member 48 is thereupon placed upon thel conical member and moved downwardly over this member with the postsin place in the groove. 'Ihe grooves and the clamping member function to maintain the posts rigidly in the position Shown in Fig. 171, a-nd to insure against deviation therefrom. Y p

In the formshown to illustrate my invention in Fig. 14 a conical member 49 is provided which is substantially the 'same as the conical'mernber illustrated inV Fig. 6, excepting that the member is not provided with grooves like the grooves 40 of the form shown in 6. On the contrary, its bottom 50 is entirely at. The conical member 49 is provided with a plurality of bores 51, and it will' be manifest that` simple cylindrical posts 52, after having been inserted into the `pockets '1910i the tentcovering, have their upper extremities inserted into the bores 51 of the member 49 to maintain the posts and the tent covering rigidlyin the position shown in Fig. 14.

The operation of the structures of the various concrete exemplications selected to illustrate the principle of my invention will be manifest from the foregoing. With reference to the fabric and the pockets therefor, it is not necessary to remove the posts. or ribs from the pockets, and in practiceY the same is never done. By the means hereinbefore set forth the frame and the ample, I have provided a screw in the form of the vdevice shown in Fig. l, and it is obvious that other means may be provided for performing the same function. Obviously changes may be made, for example, in the post connections and in the plates without changing the principle of my invention. It will be obvious also, for example, that the screw u means in the structure shown in Fig. 1 may be operated otherwise, as from the bottom instead of from the top.

Also, while I have described a method or making the cover and pockets for the tent, the same may be made by other methods. For example, a single sheet, properly cut, may be provided with ;a series of plaits and the plaits may then be stitched in a manner which will be obvious to those skilled in the art so as to provide the requisite serieso pockets.

Another method consists in cutting sections of material, each sulcient for one side and a pocket. One edge of one section may be lapped over the edge of another section and a double seam stitched into the lapped edges to provide a pocket, as will be plain to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that the pockets will be hemmed or the entire tent may be hemmed at the bottom to maintain the covering in its proper position when the posts are inserted in the pockets. Therefore, while I have illustrated and described preferred forms of construction for carrying my invention into eect, it will be distinctly understood that these are capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the substantial scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a supporting plate provided with apertures and slots, a plurality of posts said posts having angular extensions, and said extensions being provided withl angular projections, the posts being adapted to be inserted in the apertures at their upper extremities, and the angular projections being adapted to be inserted in the aforesaid slots, and a clamping member adapted to move the posts outwardly at their lower extremities and to bear against the extensions to. force Vthe projections into the slots and lock the posts.

2. In a device of the kind described, a support- K ing plate provided with apertures and slots, a plurality of posts said posts having angular extensions, and said extensions being provided With angular projections, the posts vbeing adapted to be inserted in the apertures at their upper extremities, and the angular projections being adapted to be inserted in the aforesaid slots, a clamping member adapted to move the posts outwardly at their lower extremities and to bear operating the clamping member.

3. In a device of the kind described, a vpositioning member having a plurality of external Vagainst the extensions to forcel the projections.- into the slots and lock the posts, and means for.

pockets,` each pocket adapted to receive an end of a post therein. 1

4. In a device of the kind described, a positioning member, a plurality of posts, and a clamping member adapted to lock the posts against the positioning member said positioning member being provided with external means for positioning said posts relative to each other.. l

5. In a ,device of the kind described, a positioning member provided with a plurality of external grooves, a plurality of posts adapted to have their upper extremities severally tted in said grooves, and a clamping member adapted to lock the plurality of posts in the grooves on said positioning member. i

6. In a device of the kind described, a tapering positioning member provided with a plurality of external grooves, a plurality of posts adapted to have their upper extremities severally fitted in saidV grooves, and a ringed clamping member adapted to lock the posts against the positioning member.

'7. In a device of the kind described a plurality of posts, means for positioning said posts with respect to each other, and clamping means adapted to'cau'se the lower extremity of each post to .be moved radially outwardly to its proper position and lock the entire structure. f

8. In a device or" the Akind described a plurality of posts adapted to extend from the ground upwardly to support the usual tent covering, saidr posts being provided With angular extensions, positioning means for positioning the posts with respect `to each other, and means for locking the v entire device.

9. In a device of the kind described a plurality of normally upright posts for supporting the usual tent covering and clamping means for moving said posts radially to a denite position.

10. In a device of the kind described a supporting member and a plurality of tent posts adapted to extend upwardly from the ground and be positioned externally adjacent said supporting member and a clamping member for locking the posts against the supporting member.

A OTAKAR VALASEK. 

